How Urgent are Blood Transfusions Provided in Emergency Service?

Abstract

INTRODUCTION[|]A blood transfusion, defined as a procedure to replace lost blood, is actually a tissue transplantation, performed with consideration given to the impact profile, the potential development of complications, and the risk of anaphylaxis and rejection, which may lead to death. This study is an analysis of emergency blood transfusions in terms of symptoms and indications. [¤]METHODS[|]Hospital records of blood transfusions administered in the emergency service were retrospectively reviewed. The patients were categorized into 2 groups: emergency patients and non-emergency patients, based on the presentation.[¤]RESULTS[|]Over the course of 3 months, 1156 transfusions (2.18 per person) were performed in 528 patients (61.4% male). It was determined that the most commonly seen patient complaints were weakness (19%) and melena (14%), followed by cases in which the patient was asymptomatic, but there was laboratory pathology (12.9%). In all, 47% of all cases of blood transfusion were considered urgent.[¤]DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION[|]No correlation was determined between urgency requirement and hemoglobin level. Aside from those administered for active bleeding, most blood transfusions were not performed due to an urgent indication. The establishment of separate, ambulatory parenteral treatment units in could reduce the burden on emergency services to some extent and protect the priority status real emergency patients need.[¤]

Keywords

• emergency blood transfusion indications
• internal medicine: red blood cell; thrombocyte.